Newton Running will make significant donations in 2009 to fight both prostate cancer and global poverty. This year, the company will donate 1% of its gross profits to Athletes for a Cure, a programme of the Prostate Cancer Foundation, and $1 from the sale of each Newton shoe to Trickle Up, an international non-profit group that empowers the very poorest to lift themselves out of poverty.
"When we started this company, we made a commitment to give back and support those who are less fortunate,” stated Newton Running co-founder Jerry Lee. “I’ve fought through prostate cancer personally and we’re proud to lend our support to a cause which is dedicated to fighting a disease that will affect one in six American men. Likewise, Newton was founded with an entrepreneurial spirit and we’re excited to support Trickle Up, an organisation that is fighting poverty by helping individuals start microenterprises.”
Athletes for a Cure is a programme of the Prostate Cancer Foundation designed to assist individual athletes in their quest to raise money for better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer. “Athletes for a Cure is proud to be associated with Newton Running, a company as committed to helping athletes achieve their racing and training goals as we are to fighting a disease that will affect 218,000 men this year alone,” said Athletes for a Cure Managing Director, Scott Zagarino.
Trickle Up empowers people living on less than $1 a day to take the first steps out of poverty, providing them with resources to build microenterprises for a better quality of life. In partnership with local agencies, Trickle Up provides business training and seed capital to launch or expand a microenterprise. Trickle Up works in some of the poorest communities in eight countries in Asia, Africa and Central America.
“Trickle Up is thrilled to be partnering with Newton Running,” added Trickle Up President, William Abrams. “We share with them a commitment to enterprising, innovative solutions. With one-fifth of the world’s people living on less than $1 a day, we are excited that Newton Running will be working with us to better the lives of the very poorest.”
